Glove and method of making same



G. P. BOSWORTH.

GLOVE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

hFPLXCATlONFILEDSEPLS,19H 1,385,968. Patented July 26,1921.

2 SHEEN-SHEET 1.

George .BBosu/ovih,

G. P. BOSWORTH.

GLOVE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1918- 1,385,963. nted July 26, 1921.

lnvenior: Georgeflflaswoflh,

2) @lM, Q J y Zia 9M7 ay! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE P. IBOSWORTH, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEMPHILL GLOVE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 9, 1918. Serial No. 253,205.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. Boswonrcu, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Central Falls, in the count-y of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Gloves and Methods of Making Same, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to gloves and to the method of making the same. The invention particularly relates to knitted gloves and more especially to machine knitted gloves.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I shall in the accompanying drawings disclose one form of glove embodying my invention and shall describe the. best'mode known to me for forming o l-making the same.

In said drawings;

Figure 1 is a view that is somewhat di grammatic and mainly perspective of a glove blank knitted in accordance with my invention;

Fig.2 is a side elevation of a left hand glove in completed form and viewed from one position F'1g. 3 is a Similar View of the same glove viewed from another posltion;

F 1g. 4 is a similar View of the same glove viewed from still another position;

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective, showing 1n a different position, a. partof the blank shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is-a similar view of a portion of the completed glove; and

F 1g. is a plan view of a glove-mitten made in accordance with my invention.

I shall describe my invention with particular reference to that embodiment thereof constituting a machine knitted glove, but within the scope and purpose of my invention the glove may be hand knitted or may be formed in any suitable way from material other than knitted material.

The glove embodying my invention when knitted by machinery, may be formed upon any suitable type of machine such as a circu ar machine or a straight machine, but preferably I form the same upon a so-called circular machine, but so operate the machine that the glove blank is formed throughout by reciprocating knitting.

Preferably I knit or form the glove with all the digits thereof integral with the hand, but within the broad scope and purpose of my invention, the thumb may be separately knitted and afterward applied to the hand in any suitable Way, as to a thumb opening that has been left in the knitting operation, or a thumb opening may be cut or otherwise formed and a separate thumb secured in proper position tothe glove. While I refer my invention as a glove, it'is obvious that wit in the scope and purpose of my invention in certain aspects thereof, I include a mitten and also What I term a glove-mitten, namely, one wherein a separate digit is formed for the first finger or the ,first and second fingers, and the remaining fingers are provided for bya single pocket formation.

Assuming that the glove is to be formed by knitting upon a machine of a circular type having independent needles, it will be evident that while the knitting may commence at any suitable point, it should preferably begin at the base of the wrist either at the front or at the back thereof, whether the knitting begin at the front or at the back of the bottom of the wrist, the fingers may be knitted in.any desired sequence, as, for example, the fi1st,the second, the third and the fourth fingers in the order given, or in the reverse order. I will describe the knitting of the glove as commencing at the base of the wrist at the front thereof, but I am in no wise limited to such mode of procedure. Preferably I commence the knitting upon a sufiicient number of needles to form the front of the wrist and extending from the point 1 across the front of the wrist to the point 2 in F igs, 1 to 4 inclusive. I contemplate aswithin the scope and purpose of my invention suitably fashioning the wrist, which may be done knitting upon a lesser number of needles than used in knitting'the hand proper and gradually increasing the number until the full width is reached, reversing this operation in completing the front of the wrist, but this feature of my invention is not claimed herein, being covered by the claims of this application, but being distinctly and specifically claimed in another application.

Patented July 26-, 1921.

by commencing the.

v at the proper points them to retain their loops,

Instead of so fashioning the wrist, I may within the scope of my invention cut and seam the wrist after the knitting operation, so as properly to shape the same.

Although the knitting may commence at the bottom of the wrist either at the front or back thereof, and in either case the knitting of the fingers may proceed in any desired sequence, I shall in detail describe the preferred manner of knitting the glove by beginning the knitting thereof at the bottom of the wrist at the front and the knitting of the fingers commencing with the little finger.

While as stated the knitting of the wrist may be begun upon a lesser number of nee: dles than used in knitting the hand, I will assume for the purpose of this description that the wrist is knitted upon the same number of needles that are employed in knitting the hand. In such case, I commence the knitting in any suitable manner upon a series of needles extending from the point 1 across the front of the wrist to the point 2 and continue the knitting reciprocatingly so as to form a flat strip selvaged at opposite sides and extending up to the base of the thumb, that is, to the line 3-4, since I will describe that preferred embodiment of my invention, to which, however, I am not limited, wherein the thumb is knitted integrally with the hand.

In knitting the thumb and fingers, I may simply retain in action the desired needles while rendering the remaining needles inactive but permitting but preferably when I have reached the point where a change in the number of needles in action is to be effected, I in most cases elevate all the needles while permitting them to retain their loops, and then immediately bring down again into action those needles that are'next to be employed. I shall in the ensuing description refer to the preferred mode of action, but it is to be understood I am not limited thereto.

Having reached the line 3-4, at the base of the thumb on the outside thereof, I preferably elevate all the needles while permitting them to retain their loops, and then immediately restore to action those needles extending from the point 3 to the point 4 around the outside of the thumb, and I then knit upon said needles a flat strip selvaged upon opposite sides to form the outside 5 of the thumb, tl .e tip 6 thereof and the inside 7 thereof, and continue the knitting until I have reached the line 8, 4, at the base of the thumb upon the inside thereof. Preferably in so knitting the thumb strip I use the same number of needles throughout, but within the scope and purpose of my invention I may shape the strip by retiring the desired needles from action along one or both edges in a manner generally similar to that of forming a heel or toe, and I may employ the same method to shape the fingers. I will, however, in this description assume for convenience that the thumb and fingers are knitted as flat, parallel sided strips.

I may elevate the needles extending from the point 8 to the point 4 and then bring down into action all the needles that.were employed in knitting the wrist so that I have in action the needles extending from the point 9 across the hand to the point 10 at the opposite edge, but preferably I merely keep in action the needles extending from the point 8 to the point 4; and bring down into act-ion the remaining needles, so as to have in action the needles extending from the point 9 to the point 10. Preferably these needles include a few needles between the outer edge of the thumb strip and the edge of the hand, namely, those needles between the points 3 and 9, but Within the scope and purpose of my invention, the thumb strip may extend to the edge of the hand.

Having now brought into action all the needles that are used in knitting the glove I now knit the palm 11 of the hand as a flat strip selvaged at opposite edges up to a line extending across the bases of all the fingers; that is, up to the line 12, 13. I am now ready to knit the fingers, and as previously stated I may commence with any finger, but desirably with either the first finger or the little finger.

In accordance with a very important feature of the preferred embodiment of my invention, I knit integrally with each of the fingers what I term a gusset integrally connecting adjoining fingers so that each finger is of sufiicient size or diameter. This I preferably do by bringing into action for the knitting of each successive finger certain of the needles which were used in knitting the preceding finger, as well as those needles which pertain to the knitting of said successive finger. By this mode of procedure, the fingers are knitted upon a total number of needles quite largely exceeding the total number of needles used in knitting both the front and the back of the hand. This provides what I term a lap of the fingers when the glove is off the hand. It is evident that if the knitting of the fingers be commenced with the little finger, the lap in each case extends toward the first finger, whereas if the knitting begins with the first finger, the lap in each case extends toward the little finger. I prefer to have the lap extend toward the first finger, and therefore preferably I commence the knitting of the fingers with the little finger, and shall specifically describe that mode ofprocedure without, however, in any sense limiting myself thereto.

Assuming the knitting to have reached the line 12, 13, I now elevate out of action while retaining their loops all the needles extending between the points 12, 13 and then bring down into action the needles extending from the point 13 to the point 14. I now knit a flat strip selvaged said series of needles (but fashioning if desired) so as to form the front 15 of the little finger, the tip 16 and the back 17 thereof. This brings the knitting down to a line extending from the point 18 at the base of the little finger between the same and the third finger around to a point 19 which is opposite to the point 13 and adapted to be seamed thereto subsequently. This completes the knitting of the little finger and I now proceed to knit the third finger upon the desired member of needles, but preferably upon anexcess number so as to provide the gusset to which I have referred, and preferably as an integral part of both the third finger and the little finger. Accordingly I now preferably elevate out of action while retaining their loops all the needles used in knitting the little finger strip and then immediately bring down into action those needles extending from the point 20 around the front of the third finger at the base thereof to the point 21, this including a part of the needles which were used in knitting the little finger.

I now knit a fiat strip selvaged at opposite edges upon said series of needles so as to form the front 22, the tip 23 and the back 24 of the third finger (fashioning if desired), and continue the knitting down to a line extending from the point 25 at the base of the third finger and opposite the point 20 and to be seamed thereto, around the back of. the third finger at the base thereof to a point 26.

I now retire from action while retaining their loops all the said needles and then proceed to knit the second finger and in so doing I preferably again bring into action certain of the needles that were used in knitting the third finger, so as to provide the integral 'gusset. To this end I therefore bring into action the needles extending from the point 27 around-the front of the second finger at the base thereof to the point 28. I now knit reciprocatingly upon said series of needles so as to form afiat strip selvaged at opposite edges upon all of said needles (fashioning if desired), thereby providing the front 29 of the second finger, the tip 30 and the back 31 thereof and continue the knitting down to a line extending from the point 32 which is opposite the point 27 and adapted to be seamed thereto, around the back of the second finger to the point 33. This completes the knitting of the second finger.

I now proceed to knit the first finger and upon opposite edges upon' in doing so, I preferably knit upon an excess number of needles so as toprovide a gusset integral with the fingers. Therefore I elevate out of action all the needles which were used in knitting the second finger and bring down into action a series of needles extending from the point 34 between the first and second fingers around the front of the first finger to the point 12. I now knit upon these needles a fiat, oppositely selvaged strip (fashioning if desired), so as to form the front 35 of the first finger, the tip 36 and the back 37 thereof. This brings the knitting down to a line extending from the point 38 at the outside of the first finger around to the point 39 between the first and second fingers. I have now completed the knitting of all the fingers.

I may next elevate out of action all the first and second needles used in knitting the first finger, and I then immediately bring down into action all the needles used in knitting the front of the hand, namely the needles extending from the point 38 across the back of the hand at the base of the fingers to the point 19, but preferably I retain in action all the needles used in knitting the first finger and bring down into action all the other'needles used in knitting the front of the hand. I now knit a fiat strip selvaged at opposite edges upon all said needles so as to form the back 40 of the hand and continue theknitting upon all said needles (but fashioning if desired), to form the wrist 41 and continue the knitting down to-a line extending from the point 42 to the point 13.

This completes one cycle of operation and I may now proceed as desired for the commencement of the next glove blank. If de sired a light yarn may be used in knitting a few courses before the next glove unit is begun, so as to facilitate breaking apart or separating the two glove units, or knitting may be continued with the same yarn with or without the formation of a slack course, or at the completion of each glove I may run the same off the needles the formation of the next glove.

It is unnecessary to describe in detail the other sequences of operation to which I have referred of knitting the glove, but I will merely briefly refer to the fact that if the knitting begins at the bottom of the wrist at the front thereof, I may when I reach the fingers knit the same in the following order, namely, the first, the second, the third and the fourth. If I commence the knitting at the bottom of the wrist at the back thereof, I may when I reach the base of the fingers knit the first finger and then the second, third and fourth fingers, or I may knit the little finger first, and then knit the third, the second and the first in the order named.

My invention is not limited to the knitting may be knitted separately the manner described, yet within the scope.

and purpose of my invention, the thumb im any Suitable manner either by" rotary knitting so as to form a thumb, pocket seamless throughout,

or by forming a thumb strip substantially as herein described, and said thumb strip formed in any suitable way may be secured in place at the proper point as about a suitable opening that may be left in the knitting operation or may be formed by cuttin or otherwise after the knitting of the han as, for example, by withdrawing a temporary or weakv thread that may be introduced locally forthat purpose.

The glove blank is now seamed along the selvaged edges so as to unite the back and front parts of the wrist, the back and front of the thumb, the back of the hand to the palm thereof and the backs and fronts of the respective fingers.

I have'stated that within the scope and purpose of my invention, I may knit a mitten in a manner similar to that described in knitting a' glove. In is unnecessary to describe such a mitten in detail, but in Fig. 7 I have represented what I term a glove-mitten,.wherein the front of the wrist thereof is indicated at 44, the lower part of the palm of the hand at 45, the thumb at 46, the first finger at 47, and the pocket for the second, third and fourth fingers at 48. This glovemitten may beknitted in a manner similar to any one of the sequences of operation described for knitting the glove, as, for example, by knitting first the front of the wrist beginning at the bottom thereof, then knitting .the lower part of the hand, then the outside and next the inside of the thumb 46, then the palm of the hand up to the base of the finger pockets, either the pocket preferably the pocket 48, this being followed by the knitting of the back of whichever pocket is knitted first, then the front of the other pocket and then the back thereof, which is followed by the knitting of the back of the hand and the back of the wrist.

This is all done by reci ro'cating knitting forming a flat strip selvage at opposite edges, to be seamed in the manner already described with reference to the glove.

In knitting a glove-mitten of the form shown in Fig. 7' or of any other form I provide each digit pocket subsequent to the first formed with an integral gusset similar to 1 t0 6 and preferably in the ,same manner. That and then the front a: 48 or the pocket 47, but...

is, if I form the pocket 48 before the pocket 47, I provide the latter with a gusset integral with both of said pockets, and if I form the pocket 47 first, then I provide the pocket 48 with a gusset integral therewith and with the gusset 47. Obviously the glove-mitten may have three finger pockets instead of two.

In knitting a glove, mitten or glove-mitten in the manner described and referring more particularly to the formation thereof upon a circular knitting machine having independent needles, it 'will be evident that upon one and the same diameter machine, I .can knit any size glove by simply varying the number of needles used in knitting, and can change the gage by changing the needle cylinder. cylinder, preferably of the so-called Banner type, I can knit any size glove, m1tten or glove-mitten, this depending merely upon the number of needles used, and which number may be widely varied since the knitting is preferably done upon a machine of sufii' cient diameter to contain a very considerably greater number of needles than are used 1n knitting either the front or the back of the hand.

While I have described the knitting of a left hand glove, it is obvious that the right hand glove may be knitted in any of the ways described with reference to the left hand glove.

While I have disclosed one way of forming the thumb, it is to be understood that am in no wise limited thereto, and that it may be knitted in any suitable way, whether integrally with the hand, or separately therefrom, to be subsequently attached thereto.

I also desire it to that the fingers may be knitted in other sequences than those specifically descrlbed, as for example in the following order, namely, the second, the third, the fourth and finally the first, or in the following order, namely, the third, the second, the first and finally the fourth. It is not essential that in point ,of time I form adjoining fingers consecutively, as I may for example form the little finger,,next the second finger, next the third finger and finally the first finger. In any case, I preferably provide the gussets 1n the manner described.

Having thus described one illustrative-embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention bein set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an article of manufacture, a glove blank consisting of a single, longitudinal strip substantially of the width of the hand,

be distinctly understood having opposite selvaged edges, with finger strips each having opposite selvaged edges and each being of twice the length of the corresponding finger and adapted to be folded transversely at the tip, said blank being adapted to be secured together along said opposite selvaged edges.

2. As an article of manufacture, a glove blank consisting of a single, longitudinal strip substantially of the width of the hand, having opposite selvaged edges, with finger strips each having opposite selvaged edges and each being of twice the length of the corresponding finger and adapted to be folded transversely at the tip, said blank having integrally formed therewith a thumb strip having opposite selvaged edges and being of twice the length of the thumb.

3. A knitted glove blank as an article of manufacture, formed in one longitudinal strip substantially of the width of the hand and of at least double the length of the hand and fingers to cover the front and back of the hand and fingers and having opposite selvaged edges, said blank having as an integral part thereof finger strips each having opposite selvaged edges, each of said finger strips being twice the length of the corresponding finger.

l. A glove blank as an article of manu'-.

facture, formed in one longitudinal strip substantially of the width of the hand and of at least double the length of the hand and fingers, and having opposite edges adapted to be seamed together, said blank having front and back hand portions and integral therewith and between the same, finger strips having opposite edges adapted to be seamed together, each of said finger strips being twice the length of the corresponding finger.

5. As an article of manufacture, a glove consisting of a single longitudinal strip of substantially the width of the hand, and having opposite edges seamed together and of a length to cover the front and back of the hand and the fingers, said strip having as a part thereof finger strips having opposite edges, each finger strip being twice the length of the corresponding finger, folded at its tip and seamed along its opposite edges.

6, As an article of manufacture, a knitted glove consisting of a single, longitudinal knitted strip having opposite selvaged edges seamed together, and of a length to cover the front and back of-the hand and the'fingers, said strip having as an integral part thereof knitted finger strips each having opposite selvaged edges, each finger strip being twice the length of the corre sponding finger, folded at its tip and seamed along its said opposite edges.

As an article of manufacture, a hand covering knitted in one continuous strip of the width of the hand and having opposite selvaged edges seamed together along tWo separate lines extending longitudinally of the completed hand covering, said covering constituting the back of the hand, the back and front finger covering and the front of the hand.

8. A hand covering having front and back portions formed in one continuous piece, constituting one a lengthwise continuation of the other, said portions each having opposite selvaged edges seamed together and extending along separated lines from the base substantially to the tip of the covering.

9. As an article of manufacture, a knitted glove composed of a single, integral knitted piece provided with seamed together selvaged edges along each edge of the hand and along both sides of each finger pieces, said pieces being each twice the length of the corresponding finger and folded at the tip.

10. A knitted hand covering comprising a single, integral knitted piece of substantially the width of the hand and provided with a plurality of digit members each seamed along its opposite edges and each integral across its tip, at least one of said members having at its base a gusset WlllCll is integral therewith and constitutes an integral continuation of an adjacent digit member.

11. Those steps in the method of knitting a glove or like hand covering comprising knitting a fiat, oppositely selvaged strip of substantially the Width of the hand and constituting one side of the hand; knitting integrally with said side of the hand fiat selvaged, digit strips, each of twice the length of the respective digits, and finally knitting as a fiat oppositely selvaged strip the other side of the hand integrally with said digits.

12. That method of making a glove or like hand covering comprising knitting a flat, oppositely selvage strip of substantially the width of the hand and constituting one side of the hand; knitting integrally with said side of the hand flat, selvaged, digit strips, each of twice the length of the respective digits, and finally knitting as a fiat, oppositely selvaged strip the other side of the hand integrally with said digits, and securing the glove along both edges of the hand and along opposite edges of said digit strips.

13. That method of knitting a glove or like hand covering comprising knitting a fiat, oppositely selvaged strip of substantially the Width of the hand and constituting the front of the hand; knitting integrally with said front of the hand flat, selvaged thumb and finger strips, each of twice the length of the thumb and res ective fingers, and finally knitting as a at, oppositely selvaged strip the back of the hand integral with said finger strips.

tially the width of 14. That method of knitting a glove or like hand covering comprising knitting a flat, oppositely selvaged strip of substantially the width of the hand and constituting one side of the hand; knitting integrally with said side of the hand flat, selvaged digit strips, forming as an integral part of each digit strip subsequent to the first a gusset which is integral with the precedingly knitted digit strip, and finally knitting the other side of the hand integrally with said digits.

15. As a step in the knitting of a glove, knitting a digit strip constituting an integral piece of the width of the digit and integral at both its ends with the hand of the glove, and of double the length of the digit pertaining thereto, and then knitting the adjoining digit strip with a gusset integral with both of said digit strips.

16. That method of knitting a glove or like hand covering comprising knitting a flat, oppositely selvaged strip of substanthe hand and constituting the .front of the wrist and lower part of the palm, then knitting integrally therewith the front and back of the thumb as a fiat, selvaged strip, then knitting'as a flat, selvaged strip the upper part of the palm, then knitting four fiat, selvaged strips constituting the fingers, and finally knitting the back of the hand and wrist as a flat, selvaged strip integral with the fingers.

17. That method of knitting a glove or like hand covering comprising forming a fiat strip of substantially the width of the hand and constituting the front of the wrist and lower part of the palm, knitting integrally therewith the thumb member as a fiat strip of twice the length of the thumb, then knitting integrally therewith the upper part of the palm, then knitting integrally therewith the finger strips each of twice the length of the respective finger, and finally knitting the back of the hand and wrist integrally with said fingers and as a fiat selvaged strip.

eer-mes 18. That method of knitting a glove comprising commencing the knitting at the bottom of the front of the wrist, knitting reciprocatingly a fiat, oppositely selvaged strip of the width of the wrist and lower part of the palm and extending up to the base of the thumb, then knitting the thumb member as a flat strip of twice the length of the thumb, then knitting integrally therewith the upper part of the palm, then knitting in the order named and as integral continuations with each other the front and back of finger, front and back of the third finger, front and back of the second finger and the front and back of the first finger, and then knitting as an integral continuation of said finger strips, the back of the oppositely selvaged strip. 19. That method of knitting a glove or like hand covering comprising knitting a flat, oppositely selvaged strip of substantially the width of the hand and constituting one side of the hand; knitting integrally with said side of the hand, fiat, selvaged, digit strips each of twice the length of the respective digits, narrowing and widening each of said digit strips at the tip portion of such strip, and finally knitting as a flat, oppositely selvaged strip the other side of the hand integrally with said digits.

20. As an article of manufacture, a glove consisting of a single longitudinal strip of substantially the width of the hand, and having opposite edges seamed together and of a length to cover the front and back of the hand and the fingers, said strip having as a part thereof finger strips having opposite edges, each finger strip being twice the length of the corresponding finger, fashioned and folded at its tip and seamed along its opposite edges.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE P. BOSWORTH.

the fourth hand as a fiat, 

